2 Hours in Rome

A one day trip to give a short series of lectures to one of our customers meant travelling on a Sunday to Rome. I flew into Ciampino and took the Terravision bus to Termina. In a city where taxis are exorbitant luxuaries (more of which later) this €13.50 return ticket is a steal. I travelled the 45 minutes into the city to spend just two hours to see as much as I could see. The Colloseum seemed a good place to start (two stops from Termini on the Metero - it costs nothing if you get frustrated with the kiosks that won't except correct change for a 75 cent ride and won't give change on €10 bills).
















From The Colloseum I walked past the Pal. dei Conservatorie and then onto the Trevi Fountain made famous in the La Dolce Vita. There must have been a thousand people there all trying to throw coins over their shoulder into the water.




From the Trevi Fountain I walked to the Pantheon and then onto Piazza Navaro which was windind down at the end of the day. Both would certainly be worth spending some time in the bars and cafes but time (and the light) was not on my side so I carried on.


I walked along the pedestrianised Via dei Coronari (more nice looking bars and bistros), across Ponte St. Angelo which had this sculpture on.
I finished my short little tour of Rome at St Peter's Basillica in the Vatican after the sun had dropped behind the church. I hailed a taxi to take me to my real destination, Pomezia, some 15 or 20 miles out of the city. €75 (yes that's €75) lighter I stayed in the rather nice Antonella Hotel which is worth a stay but I Pomezia didn't seem to have too much to recommend it. It seems to be an mainly industrial town and I was glad I had made the time to go into Rome and see a quick snap shot of this beautiful city.

Flight to Italy

I used Ryanair to fly to Rome. Their priority boarding for half of the 190 passengers doesn't seem very "priority", but I lucked out and got a window seat and a very rare empty middle seat. I have always loved looking down on the clouds and the blue of the sky and seeing the curvature of the Earth. I got some quite odd looks from the lady sitting by me when I must have taken 30 or 40 shots out of the window trying to work out what settings worked best. I rather like the result. The lady turned out to be a German, resident in Rome, who spoke with an English accent so good I was sure she was English. Her advice as to what to see and where to go in Rome was great.

Cambridge stroll

A morning away from work on the sunniest/warmest day of the year so far meant my visit to Cambridge was worth bringing my camera.

Cambridge American Military Cemetary

The American Military Cemetary in Cambridge is sited on the top of the hill that overlooks the city. The land was given to the Americans after WWII by the city. Most of the graves are of men killed in 1944.